THE Nicaraguan regime is intensifying its crackdown on religious groups, some of which, including Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, have been expelled from the country. A Roman Catholic bishop awaits trial on charges of conspiracy.
The Bishop of Matagalpa, the Rt Revd Rolando Álvarez, was arrested in a raid on his diocesan headquarters, after protesting at the closure of Roman Catholic media outlets, and has been under house arrest for four months (News, 12 August). His trial is due to begin on 10 January.
The charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has published a report on the increasing persecution of religious groups in Nicaragua under the President Daniel Ortega’s regime, in which his wife, Rosario Murillo, is Vice-President. CSW accuses the government of trying to eliminate independent civil society.
President Ortega was re-elected in 2022, and his rule has become increasingly intolerant of critical voices. Independent media outlets, including Roman Catholic and Protestant church-related broadcasting channels, have been forced to shut down. Outdoor worship services and religious processions have been banned, and protesters have been met with force.
CSW examined reports of violations of the right to freedom of religion and belief in Nicaragua in the year from November 2021. It found cases of forced expulsion, denial of entry back into Nicaragua, cancellation of religious activities, and threats and harassment.
Sisters of the Cross of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of the Missionaries of Charity, the Order founded by Mother Teresa, were expelled from the country last summer. Other religious leaders have been banned from boarding return flights to the country.
Roman Catholic and Protestant leaders report that they have been monitored, harassed, and threatened, and that spies have reported back to the government on the content of prayers and sermons in services. At least 12 RC priests or lay leaders have been imprisoned or put under house arrest.
Nicaraguans are not allowed to hang symbols considered to be religious, such as crucifixes or crosses, or the Star of David, outside their homes; nor are they allowed to put up banners alluding to peace, justice, unity, or democracy. Political prisoners are not permitted to receive or have a Bible or other religious literature in prison.
One Nicaraguan told the charity: “Ortega is imprisoning all religious [leaders] and any church that raises its voice in favour of the people and against the dictatorship. He wants to give countries abroad the impression that everything is in order, and that there is no problem in Nicaragua.
“Internally, he oppresses the vast majority of the people who live without information due to poverty. Very few have access to social networks, because they cannot cover the costs, since the little that is earned daily is [dedicated] to the survival of their family. The dictatorship dominates the radio and television media, the private cable networks. It has eliminated religious channels and radio stations little by little. It has done the same thing with private radio stations in order that what is really happening in the country goes uncovered.
“All of this, the socio-political and economic situation, has led to extreme poverty and the great departure of thousands of Nicaraguans into exile.”
Hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans have fled to other countries, including Costa Rica and the United States, in the past year.
CSW’s report calls for an extension of sanctions against President Ortega and his inner circle, and increased pressure from the UN and international governments on the Nicaraguan government.
CSW’s head of advocacy, Anna-Lee Stangl, said: “Nicaragua is in a critical state as the government follows the Cuban model of attempting to eliminate or co-opt independent civil society. Religious groups and communities of faith are a significant sector within independent civil society, and it is no surprise that religious leaders, who can have significant societal influence, have become a target of the regime.”